Tropical Cyclone Enawo - Mar 2017

Glide: TC-2017-000023-MDG

Overview

On March 8, Enawo weakened from an “intense” to a “moderate” tropical storm...The northeastern Sava region has sustained significant damage to housing and agriculture. Antalaha port is inaccessible and more than half of the city’s homes have been destroyed...Farahalana commune is flooded by Lohoko River, with half of all housing under water....[I]n the Analanjirofo region,...more than 10,000 people are displaced. (Govt/UN HCT, 9 Mar 2017)

As at 12 March, the National Office for the Management of Risks and Crises (BNGRC) reported 295,950 people to have been affected by the cyclone, including 84,660 who remain displaced. The number of deaths due to the storm has risen to 50 with 20 people missing and 195 injured. These figures are based on information received to date and may continue to change as more areas previously inaccessible are able to be reached...The initial technical evaluation of the assessment conducted by the BNGRC and participating agencies suggests that humanitarian activities should be prioritized in Maroantsetra, where approximately 40 per cent of the population has been displaced by flooding; in Antalaha, where the cyclone made landfall and where significant damage due to high winds as well as the rain-fed rapid rise in water levels; and in the capital, Antananarivo, where 27,104 people have been displaced by flooding and flood waters have in the past proven to persist longer than in other areas. (Govt/UN HCT, 12 Mar 2017)

As of 13 March, at least 100,000 people have been directly affected by the cyclone, approximately half of whom are in Antalaha district. At least 50 people have been killed, and 183 wounded, mainly in Analanjirofo and Sava regions. Over 110,000 people have been displaced by flooding and storm waters, particularly in Antalaha and Maroantsetra districts. (ACAPS, 13 Mar 2017)

On 23 March, UN and partners appealed for US$20 million to assist 250,000 people affected by Cyclone Enawo in Madagascar

The European Commission has announced humanitarian assistance of €47 million to help people in need in the Great Lakes and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean regions, who continue to face the consequences of years of conflict and displacement, as well as widespread food insecurity and natural disasters.

The intense tropical cyclone struck Madagascar on 7 March in the SAVA region in the northeast of the country. The cyclone then moved to the south of the country.

WFP has responded to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in four affected regions of the country, in addition to Antananarivo, the capital.

WFP, as the lead agency of the Logistics Cluster, supports the activities of the national logistics cluster to support the relief efforts of the humanitarian community and the Government of Madagascar.

Below-average and erratic rainfall since December has resulted in strong moisture deficits and degraded ground conditions across parts of northeastern Mozambique.

Despite a robust increase in rainfall following the passage of Tropical Cyclone Enawo during early March, considerable long-term moisture deficits remain due to well below-average rains earlier in the season throughout northern Madagascar.

Rice fields and vanilla crops have been damaged in the North East by Cyclone Enawo

Key Messages

Tropical cyclone ENAWO (Category 4) traversed nearly the entire length of Madagascar during the second week of March, damaging 83,100 houses in 58 districts, according to Madagascar’s National Office for the Management of Risks and Crises (BNGRC), and leading to generalized flooding along the path of the storm that destroyed significant portions of household food stocks and supply.

Below-average and erratic rainfall since December has resulted in strong moisture deficits and degraded ground conditions across parts of northeastern Mozambique.

Despite a robust increase in rainfall following the passage of Tropical Cyclone Enawo during early March, considerable long-term moisture deficits remain due to well below-average rains earlier in the season throughout northern Madagascar.

Key Points
- Imported rice is cheaper than local rice in Androy and Anosy
- Maize and dried beans are most expensive in Ambovombe
- Many traders reported shortages of sweet potato, and almost a quarter had a shortage of rice

Tropical storm ENAWO-17 has formed in the Southern Indian Ocean north-east of Madagascar. It is moving south-west and is currently foreseen to make landfall early 7 March on the north-eastern coast of Madagascar as a very intense cyclone, with extreme rainfalls and maximum storm surge height of one meter.
ENAWO-17 is predicted to have a high humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, the potentially affected population (up to one million people) and their vulnerability.